Graham gives up taxicab industry oversight

D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) is giving up his oversight of the city's taxicab issues after his chief of staff was arrested last month for allegedly taking a bribe from a member of the industry.

Graham sent council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) a letter Monday asking that taxicab oversight be transferred from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, which Graham chairs, to the Committee of the Whole.

Graham's chief of staff, Ted Loza, was arrested Sept. 24 on charges that he accepted $1,500 in bribes and free trips from an undercover FBI informant in exchange for pushing legislation that would benefit some in the taxi industry.

Graham, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, initially resisted calls that he give up oversight of the taxicab industry because of the ongoing federal investigation. But council members say Graham was under mounting pressure from Gray to relinquish oversight of the industry, including the taxicab commission.

"Though I have committed no crime, nor am I reportedly the target of any investigation, I want to ensure that Taxicab Commission oversight continues without any distractions relating to the Ted Loza indictment," Graham said in his letter to Gray.

Gray should have shown leadership and removed Graham as Chair of the committee. Apparently Linda Cropp knew what she was doing in withholding a Chair from Graham for so long. Hopefully the voters of Ward 1 will do Gray's job for him in the unfortunate event that Graham makes it for that long.

As the Post's AIDS expsoe makes clear this look the other way while one hand washes the other mentality has corrupted the entire District government. Graham was and is the master and longest time player of the AIDS grift. His tenure on this oversight committee comes as no surprise.

JackStar, I agree with you 100%. The former D.C. Council Chairwoman Linda W. Cropp knew how to run the Council of the District of Columbia. Vincent Gray has been a big disappointment.

After reading the depressing article on AIDS in the Washington Post, Mayor Adrian Malik Fenty and the D.C. Council should be held accountable for not overseeing all the corruption. Oops, I forgot most politiicans are liars, corrupt, and work in their own best interest, not the citizens.